Senate holding up former resident's appointement

Talk about it

A busy U.S. Senate schedule is holding back the final approval of a federal post for a former Dickinson resident.

Martha “Nace” Johnson, daughter of Ted and Lovina Nace, is up for final approval for the position of General Services Administration administrator.

Johnson attended high school in Dickinson from 1966 to 1968 before moving east.

In the spring, Johnson was notified that she was nominated for the position, after facing an hour-long Senate hearing in early June where she was unanimously voted in. Johnson said all that’s left to do is wait for final Senate approval.

“I had my hearing the first week of June and the Senate committee very kindly voted me out unanimously and promptly,” Johnson said Wednesday. “It’s basically hung-up in the Senate. I expect it will happen at the end of the month before Congress goes out.

“But this is politics in a way I never knew about,” Johnson said with a laugh.

Ted Nace, her father, said he expects her confirmation any day and any hour.

“Her nomination by the White House and her confirmation by the Senate committee represents that the administration has quality concerns in its appointments and not political concerns,” Nace said.

In the position, Johnson would be a part of a large agency in Washington, which would handle federal buildings and manage all goods and services needed by federal employees, she said.

Johnson said she’s confident the hold up has nothing to do with her.

“I am pretty uncontroversial and everyone has been very cordial and the committee was unanimous both Democrats and Republicans,” Johnson said. “Just one senator can hold it up and GSA is in many ways in the crosshairs because of its important role in the stimulus. It’s not something I’m told about, I’m just told to watch C-SPAN every night.”

Johnson and her husband Steven reside in Maryland. Once Johnson’s nomination has been confirmed, her office would be in Washington.

“I’m keyed up and ready to go,” Johnson said.

Tags: news, local, nace, johnson